Pipe harmonica



T. R. FOLSOM PIPE HARMONICA July 17, 1956 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Oct.22, 1952 R MM O 3 F mm R F- R O D O E H T AGENTS.

T. R. FOLSOM PIPE HARMONICA July 17, 1956 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Oct.22, 1952 INVENTOR. THEODORE R. FOLSOM l'lmoxaunmc AGENTS.

United States Patent PIPE HARMONICA Theodore Robert Folsom, San Diego,Calif.

Application October 22, 1952, Serial No. 316,222

17 Claims. (Cl. 84330) The present invention relates generally tomusical wind instruments, and more particularly to the harmonica typeinstrument employing pipes in lieu of reeds.

The primary object of this invention is to provide a wind instrument tobe played by mouth after the style of an ordinary harmonica, but whereina more pleasing and very different quality of music can be produced.

Another object of this invention is to provide a small portable windinstrument which can be played by anyone who has previously acquired theskill of playing a conventional harmonica, although it is obvious thatanyone can learn to play the instant invention without prioracquaintance with an instrument of any other character.

Another object of this invention is to provide a small musical windinstrument which can be played by mouth, exhalation and inhalationeasily producing air streams of sufficient power to exciteinhalation-responsive resonator tubes or pipes as well asexhalation-responsive resonator pipes, to give a completely satisfactoryvolume of musical sound. In other words, it is an object of thisinvention to provide a pipe harmonica which does not require great lungpower.

Yet another object of this invention is to provide a harmonica typeinstrument employing pipes in lieu of reeds, whereby chords can beachieved, by the use of the tongue or otherwise, inasmuch as more thanone inhalation-responsive resonator pipe can be made to soundsimultaneously, and more than one exhalation-responsive resonator pipecan be similarly sounded simultaneously.

Another object of this invention is to provide a harmonica typeinstrument which can be constructed in a great variety of styles, themere shifting of the pipes relative to other pipes lending a completelydifferent appearance to the instrument, and it is a particular advantagethat this instrument can be constructed completely or" plastic material.It should also be noted that the pipes can be bent to achievecompactness or more pleasing appearance.

An ancillary object is to provide an instrument which is inexpensive tomanufacture, it being completely practicable to manufacture such aninstrument by conventional and well known apparatus and methods.

Finally, it is an object of this invention to provide an instrumentwhich carries into practice completely novel principles which arebasically related to the provision of an assembly of resonators ofreedless type arranged in such a manner and communicating with amouthpiece so that air blown or exhaled will excite certain of saidresonators, while air inhaled and causing an air stream in the oppositedirection Will excite only another separate set of resonators, eventhough the exhalation and inhalation air streams pass through the samecommunicating canals, all without resort to use of reeds or valves. Whenvalves are used excessive lung power would be necessary, and all valvestend to be sluggish and to fail to respond rapidly to the players will.Furthermore, valves inter fere with the speaking properties of the pipesin respect to both pitch and timbre. Finally valves frequently get2,754,714 Patented July 17, 1956 out of order and are difiicult toclean. In the invention as disclosed herein, the mouth of theinhalation-responsive resonator pipes are close to the mouth of thecorresponding exhalation-responsive resonator pipes, special means beingprovided to attain exclusive excitation of the proper pipe according tothe direction of the air stream. It is noteworthy also that a furthernovel principle has been introduced in this invention, namely, theprovision for bending the inhalation air stream around avibration-exciting sharp edge, rather than impinging such air streamdirectly upon the lip as old in pipe organ art, with the beneficialefiFects to be detailed hereinafter.

With these and other objects definitely in view, this invention consistsin the novel construction, combination and arrangement of elements andportions, as will be hereinafter fully described in the specification,particularly pointed out in the claims, and illustrated in the drawingswhich form a material part of this disclosure and wherein similarcharacters of reference indicate similar or identical elements andportions throughout the specification and throughout the views of thedrawings, and in which:

Fig. 1 is an isometric view of one preferred form of my pipe harmonica;

Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view taken through any one of theopenings in the mouthpiece of the harmonica on a plane through saidopening and the corresponding resonator pipes;

Fig. 3 is an isometric view of the same invention in a slightly modifiedform; and

Fig. 4 is a vertical transverse sectional view taken through any one ofthe openings in the mouthpiece of the harmonica on a plane through saidopenings and the corresponding resonator pipes.

Referring now to the drawings in detail, the embodiment illustrated inFigs. 1 and 2 is an instrument of unitary construction, it beingproposed that this device can conveniently be fabricated of one of manysuitable plastic materials, it being understood, however, that theinstant invention is not dependent upon any particular mode offabrication. In this embodiment, an elongated mouthpiece 10 is providedwith a plurality of aligned openings 12. The mouthpiece 10 is formedintegral with an inhalation-responsive resonator pipe 14 and anexhalation-responsive resonator pipe 16, these pipes being inside-by-side or tandem relation and separated by a longitudinal wall 18.The pipes 14 and 16 are arranged in pairs, the lengths varying asrequired to provide the necessary tonal scale, the pairs beingpartitioned from each other by transverse walls 26', so that an opening12 communicates with each pair of pipes by means of a canal 22.

Each canal 22 tapers from the corresponding opening 12 to a smallercross-sectional size at the mouth 23 of the inhalation-responsiveresonator pipe 14, a sharp edged lip 24 being provided at thetermination of the canal 22 at said mouth. Air is drawn around the sharpedge 24 and into the canal 22, when the player inhales. The sharpbending of this air stream at the mouth of the pipe 14 excites thisresonator pipe to produce a tone of a pleasing quality and timbre, thepitch being determined largely by the length of the pipe 14.

The top of the longitudinal wall 18, between each pair of tubes, isbeveled to comprise a deflector 28, this deflector extending partlyabove the vibration-exciting sharp edge 24 and being positioned toassure that the air stream must experience a sharp bend around this edge24 when the player inhales. This same deflector 225 is positionallyarranged and shaped, with reference to another sharp edge 30 at themouth 25 of the resonator pipe 16 to assure that the air streamresulting from exhalation by the player will impinge directly upon thissecond mentioned edge 30, causing the exhalation-responsive resonatorpipe 16 to sound a musical tone of a pitch which is a function of thelength of the pipe 16. In this disclosure, it is thought to beunnecessary that the question of overtones or the particular characterof tone produced need be cons1dered at any length, the principalemphasis being laid upon the structure of the instrument and the showingof how the invention has been reduced to practice, but it is noteworthythat the opening 12 and the mouths 23 and 25 of the pipes 14 and 16,with the corresponding edges 24 and 30, are arranged in the orderillustrated. in other words, the mouth 23 of the inhalation-responsiveresonator pipe 14 should be in the middle of this novel sequence orseries of elements. On exhalation by the player, the air stream passesthe edge 24 without exciting the pipe 14, the canal 22 serving merely toconfine the ex halation air stream so that the same, after beingdeflected from the deflector 28, is in the form of a well defined jetwhich impinges on the lip 30 causing the exhalalion-responsive resonatorpipe 16 to sound. Upon inhalation by the player, the air enters thecanal 22 without any tendency to cause the excitation of the pipe 16,while causing forceful excitation of the pipe 14 by reason of the sharpbending of this air stream around the lip 24, together with thesubsequent rapid expansion of this same inhalation air stream as aresult of the tapering of the canal 22, this last mentioned featurebeing important in the carrying of this invention into practice. Themouth 23 of the pipe 14 opens freely to the surrounding atmosphere sothat the sound emits freely and can be readily heard in full volume.

In the embodiment of this invention illustrated in Figures 3 and 4,included in this disclosure to show that this invention is not limitedto the use of closed pipes, the mouthpiece 119 with the openings 112therein may be considered the full equivalent of the correspondingelements in the first described embodiment. The inhaladon-responsiveresonator pipe 114 is merely modified to the extent that the same is anopen pipe, with one open end disposed toward the opening 110, while theexhalation-responsive resonator pipe 116 is arranged substantiallycoaxially of the pipe 114 and supported on a frame extension 118 havingbrackets 12%) individually supporting the pipes 116. As before, thepipes 114 and 116 are arranged in pairs, of varying lengths as desired,each pair being in the same novel communication sequence with a singlemouthpiece opening 112 as illustrated in the preceding embodiment, themouth of the inhalation-responsive pipe being closer to the mouthpiece.In this embodiment, the sharp edge 124 at the mouth of theinhalation-responsive resonator pipe 114 is in the form of a sharp edgeat the termination of a cylindrical hole. Because of this novelarrangement the inhalationresponsive pipe mouth is fully exposed so asto permit free escape of sound energy therefrom. However, air from theadjacent space bends sharply around this sharp edge 1'24 and thereafterexpands in the tapered canal 12?. in a manner efiectuaily similar tothat in the preceding embodiment, when the player inhales, and the pipe114 is excited to sound a musical tone according to the length and othercharacteristics of this pipe. The defiector 128 takes the form of aplane inclined surface provided on an extending end portion of theexhalationresponsive resonator pipe 116, this deflector being found toincrease the efficiency of the instrument. As before, the deflector 12.3collimates the air stream into a well defined air jet to impinge uponthe sharp edge 130 at the mouth of the pipe 116, upon exhalation by theplayer. Obviously, the pipe 116 can also be of closed variety. In thisembodiment, it is preferable to supply a wind chest 132 immediatelyadjacent to the openings 112, a separate wind chest 132 beingnecessitated for each open- 'ng, and the pipes 114 are mounted on a wall134 forming the end of the wind chest 132 remote from the correspondingopening 112. The said edge 124 comprises 4 a vibration-exciting sharpboundary at an end of a cylindrical hole 136 in this Wall 134.

The operation of this invention will be clearly comprehended from aconsideration of the foregoing description of the mechanical detailsthereof, taken in connection with the drawings and the above recitedobjects, especially since the functions of the various elements havebeen explained. it will be obvious that all said objects and advantagesare amply achieved by this invention.

Further description would appear to be unnecessary.

It is understood that minor variation from the form of the inventiondisclosed herein may be made without departure from the spirit and scopeof the invention, and that the specification and drawings are to beconsidered as merely illustrative rather than limiting.

I claim:

1. A reedless and valveless musical wind instrument comprising amouthpiece having a plurality of aligned openings, a pair of resonatorpipes in constant communication with each of said openings, one of saidresonator pipes having a vibration-exciting sharp edge directed awayfrom the corresponding opening and the other having a vibration-excitingsharp edge directed toward the corresponding opening and each of saidpipes having its own individual sharp lip edges and said edges beingWidely spaced apart.

2. A musical wind instrument comprising a mouthpiece having a pluralityof aligned openings, a pair of resonator pipes in communication witheach of said openings, one of said resonator pipes having avibration-exciting sharp edge directed away from the correspondingopening being exclusively inhalation-responsive and the other having avibration-exciting sharp edge directed toward the corresponding openingand being exclusively exhalation-responsive with relation to inhalationand exhalation through the corresponding openings in said mouthpiece,said pipes having mouths arranged in tandem with the correspondingopening, the mouth of the inhalation-responsive pipe being between theother mouth and said opening each of said pipes having its ownindividual sharp lip edges and said edges being widely spaced apart,said edges being the only sharp edges adjacent the mouths, and the edgeat the mouth of the exhalation-responsive pipe being widely spaced fromthe mouth of the inhalation-responsive pipe and completely inoperativein relation thereto.

3. A musical wind instrument comprising a mouthpiece having a pluralityof aligned openings, a pair of resonator pipes in communication witheach of said openings, one of said resonator pipes having avibration-exciting sharp edge directed away from the correspondingopening being exclusively inhalation-responsive and the other having avibration-exciting sharp edge directed toward the corresponding openingand being exclusively exhalation-responsive with relation to inhalationand exhalation through the corresponding openings in said mouthpiece,said pipes having mouths arranged in tandem with the correspondingopening, the mouth of the inhalation-responsive pipe between the othermouth and said opening, a sharp edge at the mouth of theinhalationresponsive resonator pipe, a second sharp edge at the mouth ofthe exhalation-responsive resonator pipe and spaced a considerabledistance from the first mentioned edge, a canal leading from saidopening and terminating at said edge, and a deflector between saidmouths and substantially opposite the inner end of said canal to deflectan exhalation air stream toward the second sharp edge.

4. A valveless musical wind instrument comprising a mouthpiece having aplurality of aligned openings, a canal leading from each of saidopenings, 21 pair of resonator pipes in communication with each of saidcanals,

one of said resonator pipes having a vibration-exciting sharp edgedirected away from the corresponding opening being exclusivelyinhalation-responsive and the other having a vibration-exciting sharpedge directed toward the corresponding opening a rd being exclusivelyexhalation-responsive with relation to inhalation and exhalation throughthe corresponding openings in said mouthpiece, said pipes having months,said exhalation-responsive pipe having at its mouth a sharpvibration-exciting edge, and means disposed substantially opposite theinner end of the corresponding canal to direct an exhalation air streamdirectly against said edge.

5. A musical wind instrument comprising a mouthpiece having a pluralityof ali ned openings, a pair of resonator pipes in communication witheach of said openings, one of said resonator pipes having avibration-exciting sharp edge directed away from the correspondingopening being exclusively inhalation-responsive and the other having avibration-exciting sharp edge directed toward the corresponding openingand being exclusively exhalation-responsive with relation to inhalationand exhalation through the corresponding openings in said mouthpiece,each of said pipes having a month, each of said mouths having a sharpvibration-exciting edge, said edges being widely spaced apart, and adeflector, said edges and deflector being positioned to cause aninhalation air stream to bend sharply around said edge of theinhalation-responsive resonator pipe mouth, said deflector beingpositioned to direct an exhalation air stream onto said sharp edge ofthe exhalation-responsive resonator pipe month, said edges being theonly sharp edges adjacent the mouths, and the edge at the mouth of theexhalation-responsive pipe being Widely spaced from the mouth of theinhalation-responsive pipe and completely inoperative in relationthereto.

6. In a valveless musical wind instrument, a mouthpiece having anopening, a first resonator pipe, and a second resonator pipe, said twopipes each having its mouth in constant free communication with saidsingle mouthpiece opening and having vibration-exciting sharp edgesdirected away from and toward said opening respectively, said sharpedges being widely spaced apart so that a player is enabled to exciteeither pipe depending alone upon the direction of the air currentinduced in said opening.

7. A reedless and valveless harmonica-type wind instrument comprising abody member including a mouthpiece having a plurality of alignedopenings, pairs of resonator pipes, a canal leading from each pair ofresonator pipes to one of said openings, one or" said pipes having amouth immediately adjacent to the end of the corresponding one of saidcanals and having a vibration exciting acute angled sharp edge at saidmouth and directed away from said one canal so that said edge and saidone pipe are exclusively inhalation-responsive, the other one of eachpair of pipes being spaced a considerable distance from said sharp edgeand having a vibration-exciting sharp edge directed toward said canal sothat the last mentioned edge and said other pipe are exclusivelyexhalation-responsive.

8. A reedless and valveless harmonica-type wind instrument comprising abody member including a mouthpiece having a plurality of alignedopenings, pairs of resonator pipes, a canal leading from each pair ofresonator pipes to one of said openings, one of said pipes having amouth immediately adjacent to the end of the corresponding one of saidcanals and having a vibration-exciting sharp edge at said mouth anddirected away from said one canal so that said edge and said one pipeare exclusively inhalation-responsive, the other one of each pair ofpipes being spaced from said canal and having a vibration-exciting sharpedge directed toward said canal so that the last mentioned edge and saidother pipe are exclusively exhalation-responsive, said body memberincluding a smooth surfaced deflector disposed in substantially opposedrelation to the inner end of said canal to direct an exhalation airstream toward said second mentioned edge in the form of a columnatedjet.

9. An instrument according to claim 8 wherein said deflector comprises aportion of one side of one of said pipes.

10. A reedless and valveless harmonica-type wind instrument comprising abody member including a mouthpiece having a plurality of alignedopenings, pairs of resonator pipes, a canal leading from each pair ofresonator pipes to one of said openings, one of said pipes having amouth immediately adjacent to the end of the corresponding one of saidcanals and having a vibrationexciting sharp edge at said mouth anddirected away from said one canal so that said edge and said one pipeare exclusively inhalation-responsive, the other one of each pair ofpipes being spaced a considerable distance from said canal and having avibration-exciting sharp edge directed toward said canal so that thelast mentioned edge and said other pipe are exclusivelyexhalation-responsive, said body member having a chamber open to theside of the body member, said mouth communicating directly with saidchamber, and said second edge being at a side of said chamber and spacedfrom the first mentioned edge so that an inhalation air stream does notexcite said second mentioned edge.

11. A reedless musical wind instrument comprising a body memberincluding a harmonica-like mouthpiece having aligned wind hole openings,said body member having a resonator pipe and a sharp edge at the mouthof said pipe, said body member having a wind channel leading throughsaid mouthpiece from each of said Wind hole openings and terminatingadjacent said sharp edge, said body member having a chambercommunicating with the mouth of said pipe, and a second resonator pipehaving a sharp edge disposed in communication with said chamber andspaced a considerable distance from the first mentioned sharp edge, sothat air blown into said wind hole opening will strike the secondmentioned edge as a columnated air jet, while air inspirated by theplayer through said Wind hole opening bends sharply around the firstmentioned edge to excite the same without excitation of the secondmentioned edge, whereby musical tones may be produced according to thecharacter of the resonator pipes.

12. In a musical instrument of the harmonica type having a mouthpiecepierced with a plurality of aligned openings and each openingcommunicating with a pair or reedless, open mouthed, musical resonatorpipes; a confining canal beginning at an opening in said mouthpiece andterminating abruptly in the close vicinity of the open mouth of oneresonator pipe; said canal terminating in a sharp edge formed by thesharp intersection of an inner surface of said canal and another surfacefully exposed to the outside atmosphere; another separate resonator pipehaving its own fully open and discreet mouth; a second sharp edgedisposed close to the second mentioned mouth and spaced farther than thefirst mentioned mouth from the first mentioned sharp edge; said secondsharp edge pointing toward the first mentioned sharp edge, so that saidsecond sharp edge will be struck by air as an exciting jet only when airis exhaled by the player, and air in seeking the shortest path will bendsharply around the first mentioned sharp edge near the mouth of thefirst mentioned resonator pipe when the player inhales and so thatwithout hindrance from valves, the player can exclusively excite thefirst mentioned resonator pipe by inhalation and can exclusively excitethe second mentioned resonator pipe by exhaling through the samemouthpiece opening.

13. In a musical instrument of the harmonica type having a mouthpiecepierced with a plurality of aligned openings and each openingcommunicating with a pair of reedless, open mouthed, musical resonatorpipes; a confining canal beginning at an opening in said mouthpiece andterminating abruptly in the close vicinity of the open mouth of oneresonator pipe; said canal terminating abruptly in a sharp edge formedby the sharp intersection of an inner surface of said canal and asurface lying outside of said one resonator pipe and lying outside ofthe canal; another separate resonator pipe having its own fully open anddiscreet mouth; a second sharp edge disposed close to the secondmentioned mouth and spaced farther than the first mentioned mouth fromthe first mentioned sharp edge; said second sharp edge pointing towardthe first mentioned sharp edge, so that said second sharp edge will bestruck by air as an exciting jet only when air is exhaled by the player,and air in seeking the shortest path will bend sharply around the firstmentioned sharp edge near the mouth of the first mentioned resonatorpipe when the player inhales and so that, without hindrance from valves,the player can exclusively excite the first mentioned resonator pipe byinhalation and can exclusively excite the second mentioned resonatorpipe by exhaling through the same mouthpiece opening.

14. Apparatus according to claim 13, wherein the first mentioned sharpedge is the only sharp edge adjacent the first mentioned mouth, so thatthe area opposite the first mentioned mouth is free of sharp edges, thusallowing wind to leave the vicinity of the first mentioned mouthquietly.

15. A musical wind instrument comprising a mouthpiece having a pluralityof aligned openings; a short canal leading from each of said openingsand terminating abruptly in a knife edge; a musical resonator pipe inthe immediate vicinity of said knife edge; said edge pointing away fromsaid canal;a blunt edge on the side of the mouth of said resonator pipe;said canal pointing toward said blunt edge; another musical resonatorpipe having a sharp edge at its mouthg-the second mentioned mouth andlast mentioned edge being out of contact with the first mentioned mouthand edge; the second mentioned mouth being on the side of the firstmentioned mouth remote from said canal and on the side of said bluntedge remote from said canal, so that the operator can excite exclusivelythe first mentioned resonator pipe by inhaling at the mouthpiece openingand can excite exclusively the second resonator pipe by exhaling intothe same mouthpiece opening entirely by virtue of the sequentialarrangement of said mouths and edges Without the use of hinderingvalves.

16. An apparatus according to claim 8 and wherein said deflectorconstitutes the only structure opposite the inner end of said canal andsaid deflector having a smooth surface.

17. An apparatus according to claim 13 and wherein the portion of thefirst mentioned mouth opposite the inner end of said canal is smooth.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS192,061 Fogelberg June 18, 1877 532,642 Crowell Ian. 15, 1895 780,674Leech Jan. 24, 1905 797,232 Schwarz Aug. 15, 1905 1,688,349 Petrie Oct.23, 1928 1,744,570 Paget Jan. 21, 1930 2,496,134 Scully Jan. 31, 19502,506,039 Sivitz May 2, 1950 FOREIGN PATENTS 370,684 France Feb. 16,1907

